Scaevola plant named ‘Wesscaetopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scaevola  plant named ‘Wesscaetopi’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and pink-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wesscaetopi’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola, botanically known as Scaevola aemula, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wesscaetopi’.

The new Scaevola is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-flowering Scaevola cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Scaevola originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany in 2005 of a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified as code number 05P11, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Scaevola aemula identified as code number 05P61, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Wesscaetopi was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany since 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Scaevola are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Wesscaetopi has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wesscaetopi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wesscaetopi’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more compact than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola have narrower leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola have smaller flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Scaevola and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have purple violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola are more freely branching and are         denser than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula cultivar Bomy Pinka, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,943. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Scaevola differed from plants of the cultivar Bomy Pinka in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola had smaller leaves with less         serration than plants of the cultivar Bomy Pinka.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Scaevola face more upright than         flowers of plants of the cultivar Bomy Pinka.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola had more uniform flowers than         plants of the cultivar Bomy Pinka.

Plants of the new Scaevola can also be compared to plants of the Scaevola aemula cultivar Wesscaetob, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/903,539. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Scaevola differed from plants of the cultivar Wesscaetob in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola were more outwardly spreading than         plants of the cultivar Wesscaetob.     -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola had shorter and thinner lateral         branches than plants of the cultivar Wesscaetob.     -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola and the cultivar Wesscaetob         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Wesscaetob         had violet blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Scaevola, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Scaevola. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wesscaetopi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany in containers in a glass-covered greenhouse during the summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from about 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from about 3,000 lux to about 50,000 lux. Plants were about four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification:

Scaevola aemula cultivar Wesscaetopi.

-   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number 05P11, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola             aemula identified as code number 05P61, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three to four weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four to five weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; color, 158A.         -   Rooting habits.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant             habit. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, lateral branches             potentially forming at every node.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 50 cm to 52 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 12 cm to 24 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—144A to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 5.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly serrated.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             147A; venation, 146A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 146B; venation, 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,             fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to             form a tubular flower throat. Flower throat open along the             upper surface exposing reproductive organs. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers             arise from leafaxils. Flowers face mostly outwardly. Freely             flowering habit, typically about five to seven flowers per             apical branch.         -   Flowering time.—Plants flower continuously from spring to             the autumn in Germany. Flowers typically last about a week             on the plant. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Lanceolate. Length: About 2.1 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Towards the base, 144A;             mid-section and apex, 144B.         -   Flowers.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Flower             throat diameter: About 4 mm. Flower tube length: About             1.14 cm. Flower tube diameter, base: About 2 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: Five, fused at base. Shape: Oblanceolate.             Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Length, above tube: About             1.4 cm. Width, above tube: About 6.7 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: 62A. When opening, lower surface: 62B. Fully             opened, upper surface: 62B to 62C; towards the base, white,             close to 155D, band, about 2 mm in width; venation, 62B to             62C. Fully opened, lower surface: 62C; venation, 85D.             Throat: 7A; venation, N77A. Tube: 160B; venation, N77A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: One large and two smaller             sepals in a single whorl fused at the base. Length, larger             sepal: About 1.5 cm. Length, smaller sepals: About 7.3 mm.             Width, larger sepal: About 4.4 mm. Width, smaller sepals:             About 1 mm Shape, larger sepal: Elliptic. Shape, smaller             sepals: Acicular. Apex, all sepals: Acute. Margin, larger             sepal: Indented. Margin, smaller sepals: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper             surface: 137A. Color, lower surface: 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm to 22.5 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm to 2.5 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About five. Filament length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Filament             color: 165B to 165C. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length:             About 2 mm. Anther diameter: About 1 mm. Anther color: 162B.             Pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 162B.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1.2 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: 145B to             145C flushed with 187A. Stigma shape: Elongate. Stigma             color, mature: 145D. Ovary color: 147C.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About 1.5 mm to             2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 1.5 mm. Color: Close to 202A. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Scaevola have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Scaevola. 

1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘Wesscaetopi’ as illustrated and described. 